ABSTRACT: Improving the process of how physical performance is enhanced is one of the main topics evaluated by physiologists. This process often involves athletes as well as non-athletic populations. The purpose of this study was to assess the chronic response to ten weeks of static stretching exercises carried out before and during a strength training program for eight exercises on eight repetition maximum (8RM) test performance, and basal serum IGF-1 levels. Thirty recreationally trained volunteers were randomly assigned into one of three training groups: 1) SBST (performed a warm-up with a static stretching protocol before each strength training session); 2) SDST (before each training set, a static stretching exercise was performed); and 3) OST (entire session was performed without any type of stretching exercise). Strength and IGF-1 levels were collected at the beginning (pre-test) and end (post-test) of the entire experimental procedure. All exercises showed a significant increase in muscle strength for the OST group. However, the results revealed a significant increase in muscle strength for only a few exercises in the SBST (LP, LE) and SDST (LP) experimental conditions. Significant statistical differences were found between SBST and SDST for all exercises in the OST experimental condition. Furthermore, IGF-1 expression showed no significant differences in intragroup analysis. However, the OST group showed higher values (p<0.05) in post-test when compared to other groups (increased significantly only in the OST experimental condition). It has been concluded that, while all groups showed an increase in muscular strength, but the strength training performed without any type of stretching exercise, regardless of if the stretching is performed prior or during the lifting session, can more effectively increase muscle strength as well as basal serum IGF-1 levels. It was concluded that strength training, with or without the use of stretching exercises, increased muscular strength in the studied groups, and can induce an increase in IGF-1 levels.